I ended up having a 1/2 inch wide spacer made at a machine shop. This allowed the new bearing to move out on the axle to a non worn spot. It also moved the seal out. The seal was 1/2 the thickness of the old leather type. Another fix would be to bore the axle housing deeper. Another option might be to hard chrome the axel and regrind it. I called all over the USA. No one would make new axels for a 46 chevy.
